Once Nathalie arrived home with the child in her arms Gabriel stared at his assistant as if he'd never seen a person before.

"What happened!!??" He rushed over to see the young woman soaking wet, and crying whilst his son looked barely alive.
"It's alright I'll take care of him!"
"But-"
"You've proven to be a good father so far, so I'll take this one."
Nathalie spat before stomping away to the teenager's room where she carefully placed the kid down onto his own bed.

"Stay here! I'll get you some clothes and bandages!"
"Thank you, Nathalie." Adrien smiled at his basically step mom to which the woman also gave a faint smile in return, before leaving.

Then after she collected all of the stuff she needed, the dark haired assistant walked back to his room and placed the kid's pajamas beside him whilst she began to search for the wounds which she could attend.

"Ouch!" The boy exclaimed as the woman next to him pulled up the sleeve of his shirt and there stood out a huge slit down his whole arm.

"Did he do this?" Nathalie mumbled her question whilst she slowly wrapped the bandage around his hand, and after a second or two of hesitation Adrien nodded:

"Yes he did."
"Fucking bastard hurting kids!"
"It's alright Nath! I'm not too hurt, you're overreacting! And please I can do the rest of bandaging."
"No! It's my duty to take care of you!" She shouted furiously, but as the child became a bit intimidated by the harsh tone which Nathalie usually never used she realized that she needed to soften those words a bit, simply so Adrien would feel safe, and after clearing her throat the assistant continued speaking, this time in a more comforting voice: "You just tell me what's wrong and I'll make it better."
"But Nathalie I'm 15, I can manage-"
"Hush!" She lost her temper again "Emelie left you to me for a reason! So if your father can't take good enough care of you, I will!! Understand?"

"Yes, of course." Adrien couldn't argue any further, so with a depressed sigh he just leaned back onto the soft cushions and accepted whatever the dark haired woman did to help.

...

Well after a couple of bandages were placed onto the deep cuts and ugly bruises the young woman got some hot soup to help with the teenager's shivering.

"Nathalie you would be a really great mom."
Spoke Adrien with a wide smile as he ate the soup happily, and watched Nathalie gladly stroking his hair which by now was begging to dry.

"Thank you." She replied "I'm delighted to hear that."
"Well then why aren't you one?"
"Oh-...I don't really like kids, you're an exception of course, but even my job wouldn't allow me to have time for a family, so I guess I just gave up on that idea."
She sighed, now suddenly feeling guilty, but with a quick head shake all of those stupid thoughts were gone as fast as they were formed, and as Nathalie focused back into reality she suddenly got shocked by the teenager's next words:

"I still don't know how you manage to assist my father. Not many people would be in your place."
"I know."
"Why don't you quit then Nathalie?"

This question made her go dead silent and even her hand went stiff in the middle of stroking Adrien's hair.

"If you would quit you could have time for a family and-."
"Adrien! This isn't a matter you should worry about. Plus who would be here to take care of you?" Nathalie took the empty bowl of soup into her hands and to escape this conversation she basically ran downstairs pretending that she urgently needed to wash the dishes.

But not event this got her alone because within seconds Gabriel heard the clattering of dishes and went out of his office to see his assistant in the kitchen.

He definitely didn't expect 'her' to be acting like a maid because that wasn't Nathalie's job, but nevertheless she worked well, even the designer himself approved and couldn't help but comment:

"You could've called me, I would've helped-"
"I was just fine!" She turned around with a disgusted face that pierced her boss like nothing else.
Not even the sharpest knife could cut such a deep scar into him as his secretary's stare did, right this second.

But before Gabriel could've experienced anymore of this wonderful pleasure the woman walked passed him, and out the kitchen.

Of course he wouldn't let her go this easily, so with a swift movement he reached to grab Nathalie's wrist and almost instantly pull her back.

"Nathalie please, I'm sorry I know I'm horrible and-"
"And? And what would you have done if Adrien
didn't come back?"

Gabriel stayed silent for this part as he looked at the floor, deeply ashamed of himself.

"Maybe Hawk Moth has an idea? Oh that's right, he can't do anything other than force people to work for him!"
Now she was furiously shouting at her superior who couldn't deny anything, because everything she said was true.

"-Don't worry Mr. Agreste, I'll do it for you because I'm your assistant and that's my job! Awww you've got so much negative emotions you might as well akumatize yourself and-"
"Enough Nathalie!" He shouted without noticing roughness in his voice "Shut up!"
"Pardon."
She rolled her eyes and left.

To be continued-